Bosch Hoek Golf Club

Bosch Hoek Golf Club is located near the small town of Balgowan in the Midlands of the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal. It is surrounded by lakes and soft hills in the foothills of the Drakenberg, on the edge of the Kamberg nature reserve. From Balgowan’s center, Bosch Hoek Golf Club is quick to reach via Currys Post Road in ten minutes. The club can also be accessed from Durban via the N3 in about 90 minutes. It lies on the grounds of a farm from the 1850’s which was purchased by industrialist Charles Sidney “Punch” Barlow in the 1950’s. Barlow prompted the construction of a 9-hole parkland course with par 72 here in 1963, for which golf course architect Robert Grimsdell supplied the design. Bosch Hoek Golf Club, in contrast, was only founded in 1990 by Barlow’s stepson Peter Gallo. In 2013, the course received an upgrade through the architecture office Golf Data Design. The course, measuring 5,870 meters, houses wide fairways that run around a lake, mostly small greens, several doglegs, bunkers, and water hazards at 7 of the 9 holes. Hole 5 is particularly remarkable with the shortest par 3 fairway and two water lily ponds that golfers must play across. The course at Bosch Hoek Golf Club was voted South Africa’s best 9-hole course in 2007 and is considered one of the most picturesque courses in the country.